Immigration police raid Kirkby store

Immigration enforcement officers have detained a man living in the UK illegally after a raid at a Kirkby shop, it has been confirmed.

Acting on intelligence, officers visited an address on Derby Road, at about 8.30am today, Thursday, April 7.

At Midfield Stores officers encountered a 26-year-old Indian man who had overstayed his student visa and did not have the right to work in the UK.

He was arrested and has been detained while steps are taken to remove him from the country.

An amount of cash was seized from the man by officers under the Proceeds of Crime Act as it was suspected to be obtained from illegal working.

Investigators will now apply to the courts to ask for forfeiture of this money.

Midfield Stores was served a notice warning that a civil penalty of up to £20,000 for employing the illegal worker could be imposed.

The business will be liable to pay this penalty unless they can demonstrate that the correct preemployment checks were carried out such as seeing a or Home Office document confirming permission to work.

Alison Spowage, assistant director of East Midlands Immigration Enforcement, said: “There are simple checks which employers need to carry out on staff to check they have the right to work – not doing so carries the risk of a heavy penalty.